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Three groups ask LA City Council to reject railyard project near the ports

The Southern California International Gateway would serve as a transfer railyard several miles away from the port itself. Residents near the proposed SCIG site say they're worried about health and environmental impacts. Mae Ryan/KPCC

"This project exudes environmental injustice," writes the NRDC's David Pettit, who goes on to point out that the environmental impact report acknowledges that significant impacts “would fall disproportionately on minority and low-income populations" living near the railyard.

The letter also includes a request that Councilman Jose Buscaino recuse himself from considering the appeal. It cites this video as proof that he is prejudiced in favor of the project. The video was posted on Jan. 31, before the final EIR was issued.

"Given the timing of this statement and others, Councilman Buscaino could not have made an independent evaluation of the merits of this [p]roject," Pettit writes. "This type of predetermination is prohibited by state law."

Previously in Pacific Swell

KPCC's Molly Peterson on a Gilligan's Island style tour of environmental stories in and affecting Southern California. Named for the Yvor Winters poem: "The slow Pacific swell stirs on the sand/Sleeping to sink away, withdrawing land..."
Follow the blog at @PacificSwell and Molly at @KPCCmolly.